Breast former, confiner, supporter, and reducer



F. J STUART. BREAST FORMER, CONFINER, SUPPORTER, AND REDUCER.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG-9, I920- 1 433 573 Patented 001131, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

avwen loz j! (I STU/9127,

F. J. STUART. BREAST FORMER, CONFINER, SUPPORTER, ARFD REDUCER.

APPLlCfiTION FILED AUG-9, 1920- 1,433,573.

Patented 0ct.'31,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W a "131 Waite. xvii,

FRANK J. STUART, OF

BREAST FORMER, GOIII'FINEB,

Application filed August 9,

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK J. STUART, a

citizen of the United States. residing at St. Louis. in the county of'St. Louis and State of liiissouri, have invented certain new and useful ln'iprovements in Breast Former, Coniiner, Supporter, and Reducer, of which the following is a specification. The invention has for an object to effect improvements in devices for confining and supporting the breast and for reducing and forming the breast of a female as nearly as possible to the ideal proportions. It is an important aim of the invention to give a simple device which is adapted to be worn by, persons of different ages and sizes without requiring great changes in the device as manufactured, to accommodate the varioussizes. An important aim of the invention is to provide a device which will be comfortable to the wearer, and in which the chest expansion due to breathing will not tend to produce unusual binding or slipping with resultant chafing movement or disturbance of the proper adjustment of the device. It is also an important aim to give a breast support which will not necessarily require straps to be passed overthe shoulders.

It is well known'that in what may be termed the salvageof muscular tissues, massage is one of the most effective aids, and it is a very important purpose of the invention to lay before the public a means in the form of a simple covering which will,-while supporting the tissues in the proper position relative to other parts to assume ideal form when compacted or reduced-exert also a kneading effect consisting in alternately pressing or drawing the parts gently to-, gether and then relieving the tissues of this effect, but still supporting them gently and incessantly in place.

This makes the present form of my invention of special importance in maternity cases after the uursingpcriod, when the tissues of the breast and glands have been distended and stretched. and are in a flabby and flaccid condition. from which as a rule, they do not recover, without assistance. This has been given heretofore by the wearing ofbands wrapped around the bust over and under the breast, and occasional manual massage, which has been found beneficial.

It is an important object of the invention to give a simple method of producing a forming fabric to fit over each breast of the s'r. LOUIS, iurssouar.

SUPPORTER, AND EEDUGEE.

1920. Serial N0. 402,399.

wearer, which, while being readily yieldable to accommodate itself to the contour of the breast will still maintain proper pressure over the full. area thereof modulated slightly over proper areas whereby under all conditures of the invention reside in the specific construction, the relative positioning of elements and the combination thereof, as here- :inafter described and. shown in the drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a human figure upon which my invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forming device, Fig. 3 is a full size view of one of the breast covering elements of the device.

There is illustrated a forming device adapted to be worn as a belt around the upper part. of the body and extending beneath. the arms. The supporter comprises left and right breast pieces 10 and 11, combined back and side pieces 12 and 13, fixed respectively thereto at the inner edges, and a central elastic back center piece 14: connecting the two pieces 12 and 13.

Thesupporter is of minimum height at the junction seams 15 between the pieces 10 and 12 and 11 and 13, the back piece it being of slightly greater vertical dimension than the seam parts and the outer ends of the pieces 10 and 11 being of considerably greater height than they are at their inner parts, the enlargement being principally at the upper side,thus adapting the device to extend a distance upwardly over the breasts when the device is adjusted as shown in Fig. 1. The seams 15 are positioned so as to fall beneath the arm pits of the wearer at re spective sides, and the upper edge of the device is so formed that the forward part of the breast pieces will extend properly up- Ward from the arm pits and over the breast at a sufficient height. The lower part of the device when adjusted upon a person is substantially horizontal in front ordinarily, but extends downward slightly in the back part. The upper edge of the device in the back extends approximately horizontally when worn. The pieces 10 and 11 are formed of elastic fabric, while the pieces 12 and 13 are formed of non-elastic fabric, and the back piece 1% is formed of elastic fabric similar to that in the pieces 10 and 11. The outer end edges of the pieces 10 and 11 are provided with tacings 16 and 17 upon which there are secured hook and eye strips 18 and 19 respectively, the members of which are adaptedto ooengage to hold the device in properly adjusted position upon the wearer. The pieces 10 and 11 are formed in a familiar way in the weaving art, horizontal strands of elastic such as rubber being used as the wool, while the warp is formed of a fiber thread of suitable size and texture. However, the pieces are also formed with the horizontal elastic strands arranged in closer relation W761 an area extending a short dis tance from the upper and lower edges, as shown at 19 and 20, respectively, while in the intermediate part 21 of the device the strands of elastic are more widely separated. In addition, in both the edge parts 19 and 20 and intermediate parts 21 of the device, the strands of elastic are convergent from the outer end portions of the device to the seam 15 at which they are attached to the non-elastic side and back pieces 12 and 13. The warp and woof are also both laid so as to present symmetrical bulge adjacent the outer parts of the pieces 10 andll. The inner portions of these side members therefore, are capable of exerting a greater-surface pressure than the outer parts, this being responsible for one of the special advantages of my device in the reduction of the breasts in the most eflicient manner. The cases where the use of a device ofthis kind is required ordinarily involve an excessive growth at the lateral parts of the breast and adjacent the armpits, as is Well known, and it is this portion including the lacteal glands which it is most desirable to reduce in order to effect an approximation of the ideal. Also, it is undesirable to reducethe nipple portion ofthe breast to a very great extent, but the upper and lower portions of the breast require to be compacted, and in order to insure this properly, I have constructed. the device so that therewill. be a greater resistance to tension in the upper. and lower edge portions of the device immediately over and under the breast and including the upper and lower parts of the breast there under, so that the device will bear inward upon those portions properly, that is, with greater force than immediately adjacent the nipple. Thus function may be attained in different ways, but in the present embodiment of the invention, is accomplishedby stitching upon the inner and outer surfaces of the elastic fabric short strips or tongues of tape or other cloth of non-elastic material extending inward from the upper and lower edges, but stopping short of the medial horizontal line of the device, these men elastic pieces being staggered. In the present instance two such compactor tongues 22 are shown at the upper edge, while a single one 23 is shown extending upwardly from the lower edge. These are so positioned that the two upper ones will fall on opposite sides of the nipple of the wearer, the lower one 23 extending upward part way upon the breast, leaving an area 24 centrally over the breast of maximum elasticity. In order that the limiting effect of the non-elasticelements 22 and 23 may be diminished toward the central part of the breast gradually, they are tapered toward their inner ends, the degree of taper being proportional to the extent to which it is desired to limit the elasti city of the device.

The effect of the device when worn is to exert a drawing effect upon the breast portions and especially upon the lacteal ducts and glands at the sides, while the non-elastic portions 12 and 13 enable the parts of the body thereunder to support the device without accentuated reducing effect elsewhere. iy providing the elastic element 14: in the back, compensation for chest expansion due to respiration is accomplished without involving any slipping of surfaces of the supporter upon the skin of the wearer, aswould be the case, especially at the-sides of the wearer, ii? the non-elastic elements were extended. entirely across the back. I

23. the fabric is also slittedintermediately of the area to be covered by the tongues and .a V-shaped piece cut out, the opposite edges of the remaining fabric then being drawn together and the non-elastic elements securely stitched down thereover so as to hold the elastic warp threads securely. In this way, the breast pieces are given a more pronounced concave shape on the inner sides so that when the breast becomes reduced the pressure upon the central portion against the nipple progressively decreases until the ideal proportions are attained, when there would be no pressure whatever upon the central part of the breast; or only a very slight pressure, so that the device might be worn to act as preventive against undesirable obesity, without detrimental results.

W'hen the device is worn, it is adjusted so that a proper pressure is exerted at all times and the tissues of the bust are supported with pressure modulated to the requirements usually met in order to attain the ideal "form, as will be readily understood. But in addition, a highly efiicient kneading and massage elfect is manifest by reason of the force exerted intermittently under breathing and other movements which tends to develop firmness and stability in the tissues aswell as hastening the reduction required, so that constant wearing of the device may soon be dispensed with,and it may be 'used occa- In the attachment of the tongues 22 and.

sionally to combat a tendency to undesirable conditions such as obesity, or flabbiness.

As the wearer breathes, expansion of the chest slightly distends the elastic fabric, and upon expiration the fabric draws together taking a. light hold on the surface of the body of the wearer and moving it so as to work the underlying tissues with a kneading elfect.

This is very effective in solving the breasts of mothers after nursing into a good form. and condition, where flaccid and flabby conditions or excessive bulk exist.

What is claimed:

A device of the character described including a breast element constructed of elastic fabric including warp strands extending in a direction to lie transversely of the body of the wearer and being uniformly convergent toward the side and rear part adapted to be positioned adjacent the side of the wearer, and constructed to exert greater resistance to stress at the upper and lower parts than centrally, and means increasing this effect in the forward part, whereby greater drawing effect will be exerted thereby over the lacteal glands than over the breast portions and the central part of the breast will be less compressed than. the upper and lower parts.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. STUART. \Vitnesses F. F. RlMSA, M. M. NQLTJEY. 

